On Sunday, we were kindly invited out for a family meal to Shoryu Ramen in Manchester. It’s a place I hadn’t considered before especially with a six-year-old in tow but we weren’t left disappointed.
Bucket List Japan
My husband Ollie is desperate to visit Japan and eat authentic ramen noodles. Being pregnant and parents to a six-year-old makes that a slight impracticality at present but it is certainly on our bucket list of places to visit. It’s hard to find a recreation of authentic foods here in the UK. I guess restaurants are catering for the mass markets and we ‘Brits’ like to put our own slant on things which often detracts from that authentic taste.
Shoryu Ramen
When we received the invite from Shoryu Ramen my husband was very excited. He had heard from reliable sources that the food was authentic and the atmosphere and service were all ‘top notch.’ My only worry was whether Shoryu Ramen would be suitable for a six-year-old.
We had a reservation booked for 4pm and we were greeted by the friendly staff who hit a gong. The gong welcomes people as they enter and signifies to the staff and chef that new customers have arrived. Henry found this particularly exciting and I have to admit it made us feel very welcomed! Once seated the waitress went through the menu with us and we asked for recommendations. She was extremely knowledgeable and gave some great tips like ordering the noodles in the Ramen bowls hard because they continue to cook once served so this can prevent them going too soggy. This is something I had never even considered but it was something worth bearing in mind.
Much to my relief they had a specific children’s menu. It’s not that Henry needs a children’s menu as such but he has a smaller appetite so having the option for smaller portions is always a relief!
What did we order?
As a starter, Ollie had the Shoryu Bun which was delicious belly pork served in a traditional fluffy bun!
I had the Chicken Wings which were served with a wedge of lemon and were extremely tender and full of flavour.
For mains, I went for Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu which is the Shoryu Ramen signature dish. It contains a rich 12-hour pork broth ramen and contains delicious char siu barbecue pork belly and a nitamago egg, mushrooms, spring onions and ginger.
Ollie went for the Kotteri Hakata Tonkotsu which is the same as the ramen I chose but with a thicker, richer broth and double the nitamago egg.
Even though we were stuffed we had just enough room for dessert and I had the Yuzu Cheesecake and Ollie went for the Yuzu Sorbet.
Henry’s menu offered Edamame to start which is a fun favourite of Henrys. He likes taking the beans out of the husk himself and it’s always good to see him eating something healthier! He then decided to have the Chicken Karaage and Steamed Rice. Which he enjoyed with Japanese Mayonnaise. For pudding, he had the Matcha Ice Cream which was quite intriguing because it was bright green!
What did we think?
The portion sizes of both the sides and mains were generous. I think with hindsight we could have comfortably shared a ramen bowl between us. The sides were delicious and perfect for sharing if you were in a large group. The broth in the ramen was tasty and full of flavour and if you prefer extra garlic, ginger or sesame seeds you can add these at the table. Shoryu Ramen is definitely the most authentic tasting ramen we have tried. I’ve found in the past when I have had ramen the broth can be bland which can really ruin the dish for me. The broth in both Ollie’s dish and my own was full of flavour and taste which made it such a comforting meal.
Despite the fact I could barely fit in dessert I’m glad I did because the Yuzu Cheesecake was delicious. It wasn’t too big a portion or overly heavy which I was grateful for. The Yuzu Sorbet was also the perfect end to a delicious meal.
Henry’s portion was the perfect size. Like a lot of children, he can become overwhelmed with a portion size that is too big but there was enough to fill him up without him feeling over faced.
We all really enjoyed our evening at Shoryu Ramen. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming and the staff were wonderful. The food was authentic and absolutely delicious. Every single course was full of flavour and taste and the menu has such an array of options there is bound to be something for everyone. Having the option of a children’s menu was really useful for us and the dishes were still authentic dishes just smaller portions which I really appreciated.
Find Out More
It seems that Shoryu Ramen has been a hidden gem for us in Manchester but it will absolutely be a favourite hotspot for us going forward! You can check out the full menu for Shoryu Ramen on their website here.
Thank you for stopping by! Check out my last post here.
Love as always!
Mo
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*We were invited for a complimentary meal courtesy of Shoryu Ramen in return for an honest review. As always all words, opinions and views are my own. For more information on any of this please head over to this page.